'''NOTE: THIS IS A DRAFT DOCUMENT AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE CURRENT OPERATING GUIDELINES OF THE 501st LEGION.'''

==Article I: Name==

==Article I: Name==

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==Article II: Mission==

==Article II: Mission==

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# The 501st Legion is a 'Star Wars' fan club dedicated to celebrating the 'Star Wars' universe through the creation, display, and wearing of quality character costumes that represent its villainous characters.

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# The 501st Legion is an international ''STAR WARS&trade;'' costuming organization dedicated to celebrating the ''STAR WARS'' universe through the creation, display, and wearing of quality character costumes that represent the villainous characters from the ''STAR WARS'' sagas.

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# The Legion seeks to promote interest in 'Star Wars' through the building and wearing of quality costumes, and to facilitate the use of these costumes for Star Wars-related events as well as contributions to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.

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# The Legion promotes interest in ''STAR WARS'' and facilitates the use of these costumes for ''STAR WARS''-related events as well as contributes to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.

==Article III: Representation==

==Article III: Representation==

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The 501st Legion recognizes that members have no claim to the copyright and intellectual property of 'Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)' by the privilege authorized to the organization. Members acknowledge and accept that they by authorization represent the brand that is 'Star Wars', and, when in costume or otherwise act on behalf of the Legion, represent the 'Star Wars' brand and will do so courteously, professionally, and responsibly at all times.

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The 501st Legion recognizes that the members of the Legion have no claim to the copyright and intellectual property of Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) except by the privileges authorized to the organization by LFL. Members acknowledge and accept that they, by authorization, portray the characters of ''STAR WARS'' when in costume and acting on behalf of the Legion. While representing the Legion, members agree to do so courteously, professionally, and responsibly at all times.

==Article IV: Membership==

==Article IV: Membership==

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The 501st Legion is an inclusive, equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory club. Membership is open to persons 18 years or older who own a costume that meets with the standards of accuracy, completeness, and construction as required by the Legion, and wear it in accordance with the participation requirements as set forth by the Legion.

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# The 501st Legion is an inclusive, equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory club. Membership is open to persons 18 years or older who own a costume that meets with the standards of accuracy, completeness, and quality of construction as required by the Legion.

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# Upon admission, a new member may choose or will be assigned a unique operating number. Two-letter code prefixes corresponding to approved costumes are associated with that number. The operating number is unique to the individual member and is non-transferable. Rights and privileges are granted to members according to their status as either active or otherwise.

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Upon admission, a new member will be assigned a unique Operating Number. Two-letter code prefixes corresponding to approved costumes are associated with that number. The operating number is unique to the individual member and is non-transferable. Rights and privileges are granted to members according to their status as either active or otherwise.

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# Members agree to use and wear their costumes in accordance with the participation requirements as set forth by the Legion.

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# Members are expected to comply with their respective applicable local, regional, and national laws.

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The right to grant, deny, revoke, or suspend membership is reserved by and under the sole authority at the Legion level and may not be superseded by rules of any Legion subdivision.

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# The right to grant, deny, revoke, or suspend membership is reserved by and under the sole authority of the Legion Command and may not be superseded by any rules of any Legion subdivision or unit.

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#The 501st Legion reserves the right to deny or revoke membership at any time, based on any past criminal history as outlined in the [[OperationsProtocol|Operations Protocol]] and in accordance with the laws of the applicable country or region within. Notice of such denial or revocation will be filed with the 501st Legion Council.

==Article V: Organization==

==Article V: Organization==

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# The 501st Legion is a worldwide club organized into Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts. A Legion Command level consisting of the Legion Commander (LCO), Legion Executive Officer (LXO), and an administrative staff coordinates the club. The Legion recognizes that most activities will be on the local level. For this reason, the Legion is divided into subdivisions based on geographical boundaries. The list and boundaries of Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts is maintained by the Captain of the Guard.

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# The 501st Legion is a worldwide club organized into Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts. A Legion Command level consisting of the Legion Commanding Officer, Legion Executive Officer, and an administrative staff coordinates the organization. The Legion recognizes that most activities will be on the local level. For this reason, the Legion is divided into subdivisions based on geographical boundaries. The list and boundaries of Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts are maintained by the Legion Captain of the Guard.

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# Detachments are special resource groups specifically focusing on analyzing, researching, and compiling information about specific costumes. Detachments are not bound by geography. The goal of a detachment is to serve the needs of both 501st members and persons new to 'Star Wars' costuming who hope to join the 501st Legion. A detachment is chartered around a specific costume or family of costumes that share commonality.

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# The Legion Council is a body made up of the Legion Command and representatives from each Garrison and Outpost. This council is moderated by the Legion Commanding Officer. Legion members may bring issues of contention or concern before the Council through their Council representatives, or, in cases where their issues are with their Council representatives, through any other member of the Council (which includes Legion Command).

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# The Legion Council is a body made up of the Legion Command and representatives from each Garrison and Outpost. This council is moderated by the Legion Commander. Legion members may bring issues of contention or concern before the Council through their Council representatives, or in cases where their issues are with their Council representatives, through any other member of the Council (which includes Legion Command).

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# Detachments are special resource groups that focus on a specific costume or costume category and are not bound by geography.

==Article VI: Legion Officers==

==Article VI: Legion Officers==

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# '''Legion Commanding Officer (LCO):''' The LCO is the top administrator and president of the club. The LCO appoints an administrative staff to assist with club operations, which may include but are not limited to formulating policies, moderating the Legion Council, and organizing partnerships with outside parties.

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# Legion Commanding Officer (LCO): The LCO is the top administrator and president of the club. The LCO appoints an administrative staff to assist with club operations, which may include but are not limited to formulating policies, moderating the Legion Council, and organizing partnerships with outside parties.

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# '''Legion Executive Officer (LXO):''' The LXO assist the LCO in club operations as a vice-president. The LXO may perform duties as assigned by the LCO, and reserves the authority to act as club president in the absence of the LCO.

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# Legion Executive Officer (LXO): The LXO assists the LCO in club operations as vice-president. The LXO may perform duties as assigned by the LCO, and will act as club president in the absence of the LCO.

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# '''Captain of the Guard (COG):''' The COG is the operations manager of the club Responsibilities include interpreting and enforcing club rules, serving as an impartial mediator for disputes among members or officers, overseeing disciplinary hearings, moderating Legion elections, and maintaining the Legion map of units.

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# Legion Captain of the Guard (LCOG): The office of the LCOG interprets and enforces club rules. The office of the LCOG serves as an impartial mediator for disputes among members or officers, oversees disciplinary hearings, moderates Legion elections, and maintains the Legion map of units.

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# '''Legion Membership Officer (LMO):''' The LMO is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining member information in the Legion database. The LMO drives costume policies, including acceptable costume types for membership and quality control of costume subimissions.

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# Legion Membership Officer (LMO): The office of the LMO is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining member information in the Legion database. The LMO drives costume policies, including acceptable costume types for membership and quality control of costume submissions. The LMO is the final arbiter of member costume issues and approvals. The LMO supervises and advises Detachments, Garrison Membership Liaisons, and Garrison Web Liaisons.

# '''Merchandising and Brand Officer (MBO):''' The MBO oversees all Legion merchandise operations, including those of local units. The MBO ensures that all merchandise projects adhere to rules and guidelines that govern use of images, pricing, and distribution.

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# Legion Merchandising and Branding Officer (LMBO): The office of the LMBO oversees all Legion merchandise operations, including those of local units. The LMBO ensures that all merchandise projects adhere to rules and guidelines that govern use of images, pricing, and distribution.

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# '''Public Relations Officer (PRO):''' The PRO serves as the Legion's advocate and primary point of contact with the public and outside parties. The PRO serves as the executive editor of all Legion publications and multimedia productions. The office of the PRO also serves as the primary point of contact for celebrities and VIPs.

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# Legion Public Relations Officer (LPRO): The office of the LPRO serves as the Legion's advocate and primary point of contact with the public and outside parties. The LPRO serves as the executive editor of all Legion publications and multimedia productions. The office of the LPRO also serves as the primary point of contact for celebrities and VIPs.

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# '''Legion Charity Representative (LCR):''' The LCR serves as the Legion's primary point of contact with outside charitable organizations. The LCR also collects, manages and reports documentation of Legion charitable activities. Along with the PRO the LCR may publish and promotes the Legions Charity efforts to the Legion Membership and the public.

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# Legion Charity Representative (LCR): The office of the LCR serves as the Legion's primary point of contact with outside charitable organizations. The LCR manages documentation of Legion charitable activities and may publish and promote the Legion's charity efforts to the membership and the public.

# Collectively, the officers listed here are referred to as "Legion Command."

# Collectively, the officers listed here are referred to as "Legion Command."

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==Article VII: Elections==

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===Unit Officers===

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====Garrison Officers====

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==Article VIII: Policies and Amendments==

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# Garrison Commanding Officer (CO or GCO): The CO is elected by the Garrison membership. The CO is the chief administrator of the Garrison and is responsible for the operations of the Garrison and the coordination of events that occur within the Garrison's boundaries. The CO is responsible for maintaining communications with the Legion Council and Legion Command. The CO also appoints the Garrison officers and staff, and administers local forum rules. The CO is the principal representative of the Garrison membership on the Legion Council, and is responsible for assigning additional required Council representatives from the Garrison.

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# Garrison Executive Officer (XO or GXO): The XO is appointed by the CO. The XO may perform duties as assigned by the CO, and will assume leadership of the Garrison in the absence of the CO.

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# Garrison Membership Liaison (GML): The GML is appointed by the CO. The GML is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining Garrison member information in the Legion database. The GML reports to the CO and the LMO. For more information on the duties and responsibilities of the GML, see the [[GMLSurvivalGuide|GML Survival Guide]].

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# Garrison Public Relations Officer (GPRO): The GPRO is appointed by the Garrison Commanding Officer. The GPRO assists the GCO in promoting the Unit to the public and also may be called upon by the Legion PRO to assist in the public promotion of the Legion.

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# Garrison Web Liaison (GWL): The GWL is appointed by the Garrison Commanding Officer. The GWL assists the GML in the preparation and management of the Garrison Membership Profiles and is directly responsible for the processing and management of the Garrison Member Profile Images.

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==Article IX: Merchandise and Branding==

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=====Squad Officers=====

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# Squad Leader (SL): The SL is elected by the Squad's membership. The SL is the event coordinator for the local area in which the Squad operates. The SL reports directly to the parent Garrison's leadership.

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# The 501st Legion is a club based on a copyrighted property and is not authorized to profit from the sales of merchandise bearing images or ideas from the Star Wars property. Consequently, it is agreed that whatever merchandise or promotional materials are created to advertise the 501st Legion will be sold only to members of the Legion and at cost.

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====Outpost Officers====

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#*501st merchandise or promotional materials are not to be sold to the general public.

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#*All promotional materials must meet Legion guidelines before being approved for production.

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#*All materials not abiding by these guidelines will be considered unauthorized and forbidden to all members of the 501st Legion.

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#*Any member producing and/or distributing unauthorized Legion material will be subject to disciplinary action by the Legion.

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#*Members wearing unauthorized Legion materials at official events shall be directed to remove these items or be subject to disciplinary action.

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# The Legion does not endorse or manage the creation of props, costumes, or materials by anyone for sale to others. Any items created are for the express use of the creator. The Legion will not intervene in private sales transactions of non-Legion merchandise or products. Legion rules do not extend to any disputes related to these matters.

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# 501st Promotional Items Set of Standards. This set of standards includes any item, print, or paraphernalia that bears the 501st Legion name, logo, or URL. Any items bearing the words "501st Legion", "Fighting 501st", "Vader's Fist", the 501st Logo, URLs, or those of any sub-units of the Legion are considered representative of the 501st Legion club.

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*Proposals for such items are to be reviewed by the Merchandising and Branding Officer, and approval must be granted by the MBO prior to production.

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*Proposed items must be free of vulgarity, free of copyrighted material as much as possible (including use of unmodified LFL photos or artwork), and not be tied to any outside commercial entity or venture without the express permission of LFL.

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==Article X: Disciplinary Action==

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# Outpost Leader (OL): The OL of an Outpost is elected by the Outpost membership. The OL is the chief administrator of the Outpost and is responsible for the operations of the Outpost and the coordination of events that occur within the Outpost's boundaries. The OL is responsible for maintaining communications with the Legion Council and Legion Command. The OL also appoints any necessary Outpost officers and staff, and administers local forum rules. The OL is the principal representative of the Outpost membership on the Legion Council.

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A. In situations where the Legion's standards of conduct are violated, it is an unfortunate necessity to address them. While the Legion recognizes that membership is voluntary and should be fun, it also recognizes that there must be some protection afforded its members from abuse and injustice. To this end, the Legion adheres to the following prescription for disciplinary action.

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==== Detachment Officers====

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# Detachment Leader (DL): The DL is elected by the Detachment membership. The DL is the chief administrator of the Detachment and is responsible for the operations of the Detachment and managing research and information about costume creation and construction. The DL also appoints any necessary Detachment officers and staff. DLs are supervised and represented on the Council by the LMO. A DL has the following responsibilities:

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## Verify membership status in the Legion with the approved costume, and grant the appropriate access for active Legion members in good standing to detachments areas.

## Ensure that the Detachment Web site is properly maintained and the content therein is accurate and up to date.

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## Participate on the Legion forums and advise other DLs and GMLs as needed.

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## Maintain contact with the LMO and report any issue or controversy related to costuming.

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B. All commanders are expected to enforce the rules of the Legion in their respective jurisdictions. Any member behaving in an unacceptable manner or violating the tenets of Legion rules is subject to disciplinary action. This process generally begins at the local unit level. Disputes within Squads or Detachments must be handled by the commander(s) of the disputing parties at the local level. Barring any involvement or clear conflict of interest on their part, commanders are expected to handle disciplinary issues within their units and not simply pass them on to the Legion to handle.

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==Article VII: Elections==

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C. Any current member may bring a charge against another member of the Legion. Charges must be brought to the attention of their immediate commander, who should assess the validity of the charge and if founded, initiate an Administrative Action Record and take appropriate action. This action may take the form of an informal meeting between the parties, up to formal hearings.

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# The offices of LCO, Garrison and Outpost COs, Squad Leaders, and Detachment Leaders are all elected positions in the Legion. All other positions are appointed by their respective supervising official.

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# Active members in good standing are eligible to run for elected office and vote in elections within their currently assigned units.

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# All elected offices serve one-year terms.

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# The office of LCO is elected by popular vote of the active members of the Legion. The offices of Garrison and Outpost CO, Squad Leader, and Detachment Leader are elected by popular vote of the active members of each respective unit.

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# Annual elections are mandatory for every unit, unless an incumbent official stands unchallenged, in which case an election may be waived.

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# In the event a unit commander or leader is unable to continue in their office, that unit must hold an immediate emergency election for a replacement. Units that maintain an executive officer will be under the authority of that executive officer until the completion of the emergency election. If both the commanding officer and the executive officer are unable to serve, the Legion COG will temporarily assume nominal leadership until the completion of the emergency election. If a Squad Leader is unable to continue in their office, the parent Garrison's CO will assume administrative responsibility until the Squad's emergency election is complete. Inability to serve may be determined by either voluntary resignation of the office, or a period of 30 days of unresponsiveness in office after all reasonable means of communication are exhausted.

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# Any unit of the Legion (including the Legion itself) may address egregious problems in leadership by requesting a recall election of the unit's leader. Requests for recall elections must be submitted to Legion Command for consultation, review, and approval before proceeding. Recall elections are not to be used to express dissatisfaction with the results of a properly conducted and legitimate election process (concerns with improperly conducted elections should be forwarded to the Legion COG, and are outside the scope of this provision).

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D. In the event a conflict or complaint involves members of different units, the commander of the primary plaintiff serves as the presiding officer and holds a combined hearing with a panel comprised of officers from all involved units. If one of the parties involved in a dispute is an officer of the unit, the hearing will be overseen by the Legion COG or a designated representative.

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==Article VIII: Policies and Amendments==

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E. No member may be removed from the Legion without the knowledge and approval of Legion Command.

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# A committee will be formed and supervised by Legion Command, consisting of various members of the Legion to oversee and manage amendments to the Charter. This committee is called the Charter Review Committee (CRC).

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# Amendments to the Charter may be proposed by any active Legion member to the CRC directly or via their Legion Council representative at any time.

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# Draft proposals will be submitted to the Legion Council for review. During review, the proposal may be further revised by the CRC with suggestions from the Legion Council. Legion Council members are authorized to share works in progress with their respective unit members for additional input. Completion of revisions is due no later than 10 days following submission of the draft.

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# Upon reaching a satisfactory state of completion of the proposal, signified by passing a two-thirds majority vote by participating Legion Council members, Legion Council will present the completed proposal to the Legion members for ratification.

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# Proposals then require a two-thirds majority of the voting Legion membership to pass.

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# If passed, the proposal becomes an Amendment and is effective immediately upon completion of the vote.

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# Amendments that do not pass a vote by the Legion Council or ratification by the Legion Membership may not be voted on by that respective body again for a period of one year from the close of the relevant vote, unless new documented circumstances arise which may influence a discussion and vote. Allowance for a new vote within that 12 month window requires the agreement of the Legion Commanding Officer, Legion Executive Officer, and Legion Captain of the Guard.

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==Article XI: By Laws==

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==Article IX: Merchandise and Branding==

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== Appendix A: Officers and Elections==

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# The 501st Legion is a club based on a copyrighted property and is not authorized to profit from the sales of merchandise bearing images or ideas from the ''STAR WARS'' property.

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===General Elections===

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# Merchandise or materials created to promote or advertise the 501st Legion (referred to herein as "merchandise") will be sold only to members of the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion and at cost. Merchandise is not to be sold to the general public unless authorized and be approved by Legion Command and Lucasfilm Ltd. All merchandise must meet Legion guidelines and approved by the Legion prior to production. Merchandise not abiding by these guidelines will be considered unauthorized and its sale shall be forbidden to members of the 501st Legion. Producing or distributing unauthorized merchandise may be subject to disciplinary action by the Legion.

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===Recall Elections===

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# Any items bearing the words "501st Legion", "Fighting 501st", "Vader's Fist", the 501st Logo, URLs, or those of any sub-units of the Legion, or any other term or image that can be reasonably identified with the Legion or its sub-units are considered representative of the 501st Legion. Proposals for such items are to be reviewed by the office of the Legion Merchandising and Branding Officer, and approval must be granted by the LMBO prior to production.

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===Special Elections===

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# The Legion does not endorse or manage the creation or sale of props, costumes, or costume parts or materials by anyone for sale to others. The Legion will not intervene in private sales or transactions of non-Legion merchandise or products. Legion rules do not extend to any disputes related to these matters.

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==Appendix B: Membership Definitions==

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==Article X: Disciplinary Action==

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===Active Membership Definition===

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An Active Member is defined as a member in good standing who meets the following requirements:

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*Meets all 501st Membership Requirements (i.e. ownership of an approved costume, is over 18 years of age, etc).

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*Has an approved membership record in the 501st Legion Membership Database

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*Maintains active contact with their Garrison CO or GML. Active contact and participation will be confirmed during the annual Legion Census held each year during the month of October.

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*Maintains contact information/membership record in the 501st Legion database either through their Garrison CO or GML.

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*Participates in at least ONE Garrison or Legion activity per year while wearing an approved 501st costume owned by said member as recorded in the Legion Census. One year is defined as the period from Legion Census to Legion Census. Examples of an activity include, but are not limited to conventions, charity events, or any activity designated as an official event by a coordinating administrative unit of the Legion.

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*Members who serve in military branches are exempt from activity level requirements if their service renders them unable to meet these requirements.

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These Minimum Activity Level Requirements should be administered as justly and with as much common sense as possible.

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====An Active Member is eligible to: ====

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*Vote in polls of the Active Membership.

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*Vote in local and legion elections.

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*Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in the 501st Legion (including Detachment Leadership).

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*Coordinate/host official 501st events as designated or allowed by their unit leader.

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*Purchase official 501st/member-only merchandise (i.e. t-shirts, cards, badges, etc.) that are offered only to 501st members

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*Have their picture and/or profile displayed on 501st.com in the membership section.

A Reserve Member is defined as a member in good standing who meets the following requirements:

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*Meets all 501st membership requirements (i.e. ownership of an approved costume, is over 18 years of age, etc).

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*Has an approved membership record in the 501st Legion membership database

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*Maintains active contact with his/her Garrison CO or designated representative (GML). Active contact and participation will be confirmed during the annual Legion Census held each year during the month of October.

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*Maintains their contact information/membership record in the 501st Legion Database (either through their Garrison CO or their designated representative (Garrison Membership Liaison).

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*Participates in a supporting* role for the Garrison or Legion at least once per year. One year is defined, at the discretion of the unit leader, as a rolling or census-to-census 12-month window from last troop so, for example, a member trooping on June 30 will have to troop on or before June 30 the following year to be considered active.

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Examples of supporting activities include, but are not limited to the following: event planning, armor parties, out-of-costume event help, and/or any other administrative functions to be approved by their unit leader as qualifying activities or contributions.

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====A Reserve Member is eligible to: ====

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*Have limited access on 501st.com & Legion forums.

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*Have access to Garrison/Outpost planning forums and public or semi-private discussion areas at the discretion of the unit leader.

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*Have access to Detachment forums.

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*Have a picture and/or profile displayed on the 501st membership and costume designation pages, marked with a "Reserve Duty" indicator.

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====A Reserve Member is NOT eligible to: ====

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*Vote in unit or legion polls or elections.

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*Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.

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*Buy or create merchandise.

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*Participate in limited access events or requests.

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*Access main legion forums.

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*Access unit members-only forums. This is reserved for active members who meet the requirements of active membership at the discretion of the unit leader.

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=== Retired Membership Definition: ===

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A Retired Member is defined as a member in good standing who (one or more of the following):

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*Does not have an active costume or does not own a 501st approved costume.

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*Does not maintain active contact with his/her Outpost CO, Garrison CO or GML, nor participate in the annual Legion Census held each year during the month of October.

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*Has been listed as Reserve Duty for more than 12 consecutive months, and has not actively contributed to the legion via a non-costumed activity during that time.

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*Is otherwise not able to simply troop.

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*Leaves the Legion voluntarily.

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====A Retired Member is eligible to: ====

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*Retain a displayable legion profile with .Retired. indicator.

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*Return to active status via a written request, re-approval of their costume, and completion of or immediately pending completion of a troop.

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*Have their membership information and ID number saved/maintained in the 501st Legion database with the member from cradle-to-grave, unless otherwise reassigned by a judgment of the Legion Council through a 2/3 majority vote of the Legion Council members.

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====A Retired Member is NOT eligible to: ====

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*Vote in unit or legion polls or elections.

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*Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.

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*Buy or create merchandise.

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*Coordinate official 501st events.

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*Particpate in limited access events or requests.

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*Access main legion forums.

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*Access unit members-only forums. This is reserved for active members who meet the requirements of active membership at the discretion of the unit leader.

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*Have their picture posted in the 501st.com membership section.

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===Suspended Membership Definition:===

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A Suspended Member is defined as a member in poor standing as imposed by a governing unit leader or Legion officer during, or as the result of, a disciplinary action, administrative action or investigation.

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This status is meant to be temporary, pending either a return to active status or a change to Discharged status.

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All event, forum, merchandise, voting, polling, administrative, election, and membership privileges are suspended, pending the outcome or any proceedings that were the catalyst for said status change, or at the end of the duration of the suspension that is established by said hearing.

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===Discharged Membership Definition: ===

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A Discharged Member is defined as a member in poor standing who has been removed from the legion based upon disciplinary proceedings or criminal offense or a member who leaves deliberately to avoid the loss of good standing or to avoid administrative or disciplinary action.

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====A Discharged Member is NOT eligible to: ====

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*Vote in any 501st Legion poll or election.

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*Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in the 501st Legion (including Detachment Leadership).

Honorary Members are special members who have contributed their time, skills and talents to the Star Wars saga in some special way and have been recognized by the Legion for their efforts and contributions while working on the Star Wars universe.

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Honorary members must be nominated by an active 501st member to the Legion through a Garrison, or Detachment.

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====An Honorary Member is eligible to: ====

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*Have their picture and/or profile displayed on 501st.com in the honorary membership section.

*Purchase official 501st/member-only merchandise (i.e. t-shirts, cards, badges, etc.) that are offered only to 501st members

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====An Honorary Member is NOT eligible to: ====

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*Vote in unit or legion polls or elections.

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*Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.

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*Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in the 501st.

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===Friend of the Legion Member Definition: ===

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Friends of the Legion are Individuals or organizations who may not have specifically worked for Lucasfilm, but who have shown tremendous support of the 501st Legion and Star Wars fandom are eligible to become Friends of the Legion.

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Friends of the Legion must be nominated by an active 501st member to the Legion through a Garrison, or Detachment.

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====A Friend of the Legion Member is eligible to: ====

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*Have their picture and/or profile displayed on 501st.com in the honorary membership section.

*Purchase official 501st/member-only merchandise (i.e. t-shirts, cards, badges, etc.) that are offered only to 501st members

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====A Friend of the Legion Member is NOT eligible to: ====

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*Vote in unit or legion polls or elections.

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*Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.

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*Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in the 501st.

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==Appendix C: Code of Conduct==

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When the Legion's standards of conduct are violated, it is an unfortunate necessity to address them. While the Legion recognizes that membership is voluntary and should be fun, it also recognizes that there must be some protection afforded its members from abuse and misconduct. To this end, the Legion adheres to the following prescription for disciplinary action.

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===Hearing Procedures===

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====Administrative Leave====

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#All commanders are expected to enforce the rules of the Legion in their respective jurisdictions. Any member behaving in an unacceptable manner or violating Legion rules or the tenets thereof is subject to disciplinary action. Disputes within any Legion subdivision are to be managed by the commander of the subdivision, unless the commander is involved in the dispute or there is any other clear conflict of interest on their part, in which case the dispute must be escalated to the Legion level.

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# Complaints should be directed by members to their immediate commander. The commander is responsible for mediating the dispute. This action may take the form of an informal meeting between the parties, up to formal hearings.

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# The Legion Captain of the Guard must be notified prior to commencing any hearing at any level and be granted the option to observe the proceedings or be otherwise included in communications related to the hearing.

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# In the event a conflict or complaint involves members of different units, the commander of the primary complainant serves as the presiding officer and conducts a meeting or hearing with the defendant and the commander of the defendant's unit. If one of the parties involved in a dispute is an officer of a unit, the hearing will be overseen by the Legion Captain of the Guard or a designated representative.

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# All hearings are conducted on the Legion forum, unless otherwise directed by the Legion Captain of the Guard.

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#No member may be removed from the Legion without the knowledge and approval of Legion Command.

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# Following the resolution of a dispute or hearing, both parties in a disciplinary action have the right to appeal the decision to the Legion Captain of the Guard within 30 days. See operational guidelines for appeal procedures.

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In order to protect the Legion and its membership from involvement in real-world legal proceedings, the Legion will not be involved in any legal action between or involving members and may take action necessary to protect the safety of the Legion and the membership. Any such actions will be at the discretion of the Captain of the Guard with the consent of the Legion Commanding Officer and may include placing members on temporary Administrative Leave and suspending Legion Hearings until such real-world legal proceedings are complete.

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==Article XI: Operational Protocols==

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Administrative leave will be the functional equivalent of “Retired Status” and will end when the member has finished their involvement in the legal proceedings. Once returned to active status, the member will have six months grace period to troop if they wish to remain on active status.

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# Operation Protocols are additional rules, processes, and procedures to manage regular operations, provide guidelines and instruction. The Operation Protocols set expectations of actions and behaviors in and for the Legion and its members and work in unison with the Legion Charter. The Operation Protocols are found in the document titled Operation Protocols.

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# Amendments, alterations, or repeal of the Operation Protocols may be proposed by active Legion members to their Legion Council Representative.

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# The Legion Council will review, accept/reject, and draft any proposed changes to the Operation Protocols.

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# Completed proposals will be presented by the Legion Council to the Legion members for ratification.

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# Amendments to the Operation Protocols require a simple majority of the voting members to pass.

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# If passed, the proposal is incorporated into the Operation Protocols and is effective immediately upon completion of the vote.

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The use of Administrative Leave is not intended to impact a member’s status negatively or permanently and is only meant to be used as a temporary action to protect the Legion and its membership from undue involvement in legal proceedings.

Legion Charter

Article I: Name

501st Legion (aka “the Legion”, “the 501st“, and “Vader’s Fist”)

Article II: Mission

The 501st Legion is an international STAR WARS™ costuming organization dedicated to celebrating the STAR WARS universe through the creation, display, and wearing of quality character costumes that represent the villainous characters from the STAR WARS sagas.

The Legion promotes interest in STAR WARS and facilitates the use of these costumes for STAR WARS-related events as well as contributes to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work.

Article III: Representation

The 501st Legion recognizes that the members of the Legion have no claim to the copyright and intellectual property of Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) except by the privileges authorized to the organization by LFL. Members acknowledge and accept that they, by authorization, portray the characters of STAR WARS when in costume and acting on behalf of the Legion. While representing the Legion, members agree to do so courteously, professionally, and responsibly at all times.

Article IV: Membership

The 501st Legion is an inclusive, equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory club. Membership is open to persons 18 years or older who own a costume that meets with the standards of accuracy, completeness, and quality of construction as required by the Legion.

Upon admission, a new member may choose or will be assigned a unique operating number. Two-letter code prefixes corresponding to approved costumes are associated with that number. The operating number is unique to the individual member and is non-transferable. Rights and privileges are granted to members according to their status as either active or otherwise.

Members agree to use and wear their costumes in accordance with the participation requirements as set forth by the Legion.

Members are expected to comply with their respective applicable local, regional, and national laws.

The right to grant, deny, revoke, or suspend membership is reserved by and under the sole authority of the Legion Command and may not be superseded by any rules of any Legion subdivision or unit.

The 501st Legion reserves the right to deny or revoke membership at any time, based on any past criminal history as outlined in the Operations Protocol and in accordance with the laws of the applicable country or region within. Notice of such denial or revocation will be filed with the 501st Legion Council.

Article V: Organization

The 501st Legion is a worldwide club organized into Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts. A Legion Command level consisting of the Legion Commanding Officer, Legion Executive Officer, and an administrative staff coordinates the organization. The Legion recognizes that most activities will be on the local level. For this reason, the Legion is divided into subdivisions based on geographical boundaries. The list and boundaries of Garrisons, Squads, and Outposts are maintained by the Legion Captain of the Guard.

The Legion Council is a body made up of the Legion Command and representatives from each Garrison and Outpost. This council is moderated by the Legion Commanding Officer. Legion members may bring issues of contention or concern before the Council through their Council representatives, or, in cases where their issues are with their Council representatives, through any other member of the Council (which includes Legion Command).

Detachments are special resource groups that focus on a specific costume or costume category and are not bound by geography.

Article VI: Legion Officers

Legion Commanding Officer (LCO): The LCO is the top administrator and president of the club. The LCO appoints an administrative staff to assist with club operations, which may include but are not limited to formulating policies, moderating the Legion Council, and organizing partnerships with outside parties.

Legion Executive Officer (LXO): The LXO assists the LCO in club operations as vice-president. The LXO may perform duties as assigned by the LCO, and will act as club president in the absence of the LCO.

Legion Captain of the Guard (LCOG): The office of the LCOG interprets and enforces club rules. The office of the LCOG serves as an impartial mediator for disputes among members or officers, oversees disciplinary hearings, moderates Legion elections, and maintains the Legion map of units.

Legion Membership Officer (LMO): The office of the LMO is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining member information in the Legion database. The LMO drives costume policies, including acceptable costume types for membership and quality control of costume submissions. The LMO is the final arbiter of member costume issues and approvals. The LMO supervises and advises Detachments, Garrison Membership Liaisons, and Garrison Web Liaisons.

Legion Merchandising and Branding Officer (LMBO): The office of the LMBO oversees all Legion merchandise operations, including those of local units. The LMBO ensures that all merchandise projects adhere to rules and guidelines that govern use of images, pricing, and distribution.

Legion Public Relations Officer (LPRO): The office of the LPRO serves as the Legion's advocate and primary point of contact with the public and outside parties. The LPRO serves as the executive editor of all Legion publications and multimedia productions. The office of the LPRO also serves as the primary point of contact for celebrities and VIPs.

Legion Charity Representative (LCR): The office of the LCR serves as the Legion's primary point of contact with outside charitable organizations. The LCR manages documentation of Legion charitable activities and may publish and promote the Legion's charity efforts to the membership and the public.

Collectively, the officers listed here are referred to as "Legion Command."

Unit Officers

Garrison Officers

Garrison Commanding Officer (CO or GCO): The CO is elected by the Garrison membership. The CO is the chief administrator of the Garrison and is responsible for the operations of the Garrison and the coordination of events that occur within the Garrison's boundaries. The CO is responsible for maintaining communications with the Legion Council and Legion Command. The CO also appoints the Garrison officers and staff, and administers local forum rules. The CO is the principal representative of the Garrison membership on the Legion Council, and is responsible for assigning additional required Council representatives from the Garrison.

Garrison Executive Officer (XO or GXO): The XO is appointed by the CO. The XO may perform duties as assigned by the CO, and will assume leadership of the Garrison in the absence of the CO.

Garrison Membership Liaison (GML): The GML is appointed by the CO. The GML is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining Garrison member information in the Legion database. The GML reports to the CO and the LMO. For more information on the duties and responsibilities of the GML, see the GML Survival Guide.

Garrison Public Relations Officer (GPRO): The GPRO is appointed by the Garrison Commanding Officer. The GPRO assists the GCO in promoting the Unit to the public and also may be called upon by the Legion PRO to assist in the public promotion of the Legion.

Garrison Web Liaison (GWL): The GWL is appointed by the Garrison Commanding Officer. The GWL assists the GML in the preparation and management of the Garrison Membership Profiles and is directly responsible for the processing and management of the Garrison Member Profile Images.

Squad Officers

Squad Leader (SL): The SL is elected by the Squad's membership. The SL is the event coordinator for the local area in which the Squad operates. The SL reports directly to the parent Garrison's leadership.

Outpost Officers

Outpost Leader (OL): The OL of an Outpost is elected by the Outpost membership. The OL is the chief administrator of the Outpost and is responsible for the operations of the Outpost and the coordination of events that occur within the Outpost's boundaries. The OL is responsible for maintaining communications with the Legion Council and Legion Command. The OL also appoints any necessary Outpost officers and staff, and administers local forum rules. The OL is the principal representative of the Outpost membership on the Legion Council.

Detachment Officers

Detachment Leader (DL): The DL is elected by the Detachment membership. The DL is the chief administrator of the Detachment and is responsible for the operations of the Detachment and managing research and information about costume creation and construction. The DL also appoints any necessary Detachment officers and staff. DLs are supervised and represented on the Council by the LMO. A DL has the following responsibilities:

Verify membership status in the Legion with the approved costume, and grant the appropriate access for active Legion members in good standing to detachments areas.

Ensure that the Detachment Web site is properly maintained and the content therein is accurate and up to date.

Participate on the Legion forums and advise other DLs and GMLs as needed.

Maintain contact with the LMO and report any issue or controversy related to costuming.

Article VII: Elections

The offices of LCO, Garrison and Outpost COs, Squad Leaders, and Detachment Leaders are all elected positions in the Legion. All other positions are appointed by their respective supervising official.

Active members in good standing are eligible to run for elected office and vote in elections within their currently assigned units.

All elected offices serve one-year terms.

The office of LCO is elected by popular vote of the active members of the Legion. The offices of Garrison and Outpost CO, Squad Leader, and Detachment Leader are elected by popular vote of the active members of each respective unit.

Annual elections are mandatory for every unit, unless an incumbent official stands unchallenged, in which case an election may be waived.

In the event a unit commander or leader is unable to continue in their office, that unit must hold an immediate emergency election for a replacement. Units that maintain an executive officer will be under the authority of that executive officer until the completion of the emergency election. If both the commanding officer and the executive officer are unable to serve, the Legion COG will temporarily assume nominal leadership until the completion of the emergency election. If a Squad Leader is unable to continue in their office, the parent Garrison's CO will assume administrative responsibility until the Squad's emergency election is complete. Inability to serve may be determined by either voluntary resignation of the office, or a period of 30 days of unresponsiveness in office after all reasonable means of communication are exhausted.

Any unit of the Legion (including the Legion itself) may address egregious problems in leadership by requesting a recall election of the unit's leader. Requests for recall elections must be submitted to Legion Command for consultation, review, and approval before proceeding. Recall elections are not to be used to express dissatisfaction with the results of a properly conducted and legitimate election process (concerns with improperly conducted elections should be forwarded to the Legion COG, and are outside the scope of this provision).

Article VIII: Policies and Amendments

A committee will be formed and supervised by Legion Command, consisting of various members of the Legion to oversee and manage amendments to the Charter. This committee is called the Charter Review Committee (CRC).

Amendments to the Charter may be proposed by any active Legion member to the CRC directly or via their Legion Council representative at any time.

Draft proposals will be submitted to the Legion Council for review. During review, the proposal may be further revised by the CRC with suggestions from the Legion Council. Legion Council members are authorized to share works in progress with their respective unit members for additional input. Completion of revisions is due no later than 10 days following submission of the draft.

Upon reaching a satisfactory state of completion of the proposal, signified by passing a two-thirds majority vote by participating Legion Council members, Legion Council will present the completed proposal to the Legion members for ratification.

Proposals then require a two-thirds majority of the voting Legion membership to pass.

If passed, the proposal becomes an Amendment and is effective immediately upon completion of the vote.

Amendments that do not pass a vote by the Legion Council or ratification by the Legion Membership may not be voted on by that respective body again for a period of one year from the close of the relevant vote, unless new documented circumstances arise which may influence a discussion and vote. Allowance for a new vote within that 12 month window requires the agreement of the Legion Commanding Officer, Legion Executive Officer, and Legion Captain of the Guard.

Article IX: Merchandise and Branding

The 501st Legion is a club based on a copyrighted property and is not authorized to profit from the sales of merchandise bearing images or ideas from the STAR WARS property.

Merchandise or materials created to promote or advertise the 501st Legion (referred to herein as "merchandise") will be sold only to members of the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion and at cost. Merchandise is not to be sold to the general public unless authorized and be approved by Legion Command and Lucasfilm Ltd. All merchandise must meet Legion guidelines and approved by the Legion prior to production. Merchandise not abiding by these guidelines will be considered unauthorized and its sale shall be forbidden to members of the 501st Legion. Producing or distributing unauthorized merchandise may be subject to disciplinary action by the Legion.

Any items bearing the words "501st Legion", "Fighting 501st", "Vader's Fist", the 501st Logo, URLs, or those of any sub-units of the Legion, or any other term or image that can be reasonably identified with the Legion or its sub-units are considered representative of the 501st Legion. Proposals for such items are to be reviewed by the office of the Legion Merchandising and Branding Officer, and approval must be granted by the LMBO prior to production.

The Legion does not endorse or manage the creation or sale of props, costumes, or costume parts or materials by anyone for sale to others. The Legion will not intervene in private sales or transactions of non-Legion merchandise or products. Legion rules do not extend to any disputes related to these matters.

Article X: Disciplinary Action

When the Legion's standards of conduct are violated, it is an unfortunate necessity to address them. While the Legion recognizes that membership is voluntary and should be fun, it also recognizes that there must be some protection afforded its members from abuse and misconduct. To this end, the Legion adheres to the following prescription for disciplinary action.

All commanders are expected to enforce the rules of the Legion in their respective jurisdictions. Any member behaving in an unacceptable manner or violating Legion rules or the tenets thereof is subject to disciplinary action. Disputes within any Legion subdivision are to be managed by the commander of the subdivision, unless the commander is involved in the dispute or there is any other clear conflict of interest on their part, in which case the dispute must be escalated to the Legion level.

Complaints should be directed by members to their immediate commander. The commander is responsible for mediating the dispute. This action may take the form of an informal meeting between the parties, up to formal hearings.

The Legion Captain of the Guard must be notified prior to commencing any hearing at any level and be granted the option to observe the proceedings or be otherwise included in communications related to the hearing.

In the event a conflict or complaint involves members of different units, the commander of the primary complainant serves as the presiding officer and conducts a meeting or hearing with the defendant and the commander of the defendant's unit. If one of the parties involved in a dispute is an officer of a unit, the hearing will be overseen by the Legion Captain of the Guard or a designated representative.

All hearings are conducted on the Legion forum, unless otherwise directed by the Legion Captain of the Guard.

No member may be removed from the Legion without the knowledge and approval of Legion Command.

Following the resolution of a dispute or hearing, both parties in a disciplinary action have the right to appeal the decision to the Legion Captain of the Guard within 30 days. See operational guidelines for appeal procedures.

Article XI: Operational Protocols

Operation Protocols are additional rules, processes, and procedures to manage regular operations, provide guidelines and instruction. The Operation Protocols set expectations of actions and behaviors in and for the Legion and its members and work in unison with the Legion Charter. The Operation Protocols are found in the document titled Operation Protocols.

Amendments, alterations, or repeal of the Operation Protocols may be proposed by active Legion members to their Legion Council Representative.

The Legion Council will review, accept/reject, and draft any proposed changes to the Operation Protocols.

Completed proposals will be presented by the Legion Council to the Legion members for ratification.

Amendments to the Operation Protocols require a simple majority of the voting members to pass.

If passed, the proposal is incorporated into the Operation Protocols and is effective immediately upon completion of the vote.